NORTH HORNELL-Grace Moretti Eagan, of 321 Seneca Road, North Hornell, entered into rest Saturday afternoon (September 23, 2017) at the Vincent House in Wayland, following a long illness.
Born in Hornell, she was the daughter of Lawrence G. and Lucy (Dininny) Moretti and had been married to the late Robert E. Eagan. She resided in Rochester for several years and had also lived in New York City and Rocky Hill, CT.
Grace grew up in Hornell and was a graduate of St. Ann’s School, Hornell High School and the former Hornell Commercial Institute. She received her advanced education from the University of Rochester; the Rochester Institute of Technology; and Queens College in New York City.
She had been employed at Neisner Brothers, Inc. in Rochester in several capacities — the last one as a buyer in New York City, having been promoted as the first female executive of the chain of 200 stores. Her company was taken over by Ames Department Stores in Connecticut, where she was appointed Assistant Traffic Manager.
Grace returned to her family in Hornell and immediately took courses to enter the field of Real Estate with the Lang Agency, Inc. She was active in the Western Steuben-Allegany Board of Realtors and was selected “Realtor of the Year” in 2005. She subsequently was appointed as an honorary member after leaving the Lang Agency and retiring.
She served several years on the Curriculum Advisory Committee of Alfred State College. She was a charter member and president of the Administrative Professionals in Rochester for two years; co-president of the St. James Auxiliary; and president of the Italian-American Women’s Club upon her return to Hornell.
In 2006, Grace was appointed a director of the Hornell Credit Union. She was a member of the Ladies of Columbus and volunteered for the American Red Cross. Grace also volunteered at the Erie Railroad and Toy Museum every week when it first opened and also volunteered in the later years at McAuley Manor & St. James Mercy Hospital.
She was a member of Our Lady of the Valley Parish and a communicant of St. Ann’s Church. She was a member of the St. Ann’s Choir — beginning while she was in high school at early morning Mass and in later years with Our Lady of the Valley Resurrection Choir. Grace was an active reader — especially of the news media.
While living in Rochester, Grace had the distinct honor of being recruited to become Executive Secretary to Bishop Fulton Sheen after he was appointed Bishop of the Dioceses of Rochester. She very respectfully and regretfully had to decline this tremendous honor.
Grace was instrumental in founding a new Catholic Church in Rocky Hill, CT, where she lived for six years. She was selected as a Co-Chairperson of the planning board and was elated that the board accepted her suggestion to name the church “St. Elizabeth Ann Seton.”
She traveled extensively throughout the United States and Canada and visited several countries in Europe and Morocco in Africa and also visited the Shrine of Fatima in Portugal.
The highlight of one of her trips to Italy was having Pope John Paul II who was driving by in his Pope Mobile and shaking hands with some of her group.
Grace attended the Belmont Stakes every year and was there to watch the great horse, Secretariat, win the Triple Crown. She was also present to see the last horse to win the Triple Crown — “Affirmed” in 1978. She and her husband owned horses that raced at Batavia Downs, Buffalo Raceway and Roosevelt Raceway.
She was preceded in death by three brothers, Francis Moretti, Raymond Moretti and Donald Moretti; her sister, Angeline Moretti Hayes; her nieces, Lucianne Moretti and Elizabeth (Hayes) Locke; her nephews, Larry Moretti, John Moretti and Robert Moretti; her great-great niece, Layla Rose Callahan; her brothers-in-law, James O’Connor and Walter Hayes; sisters-in-law, Shirley Moretti, Marilyn Moretti & Marian Moretti.
Surviving are two sisters, Rose Ann O’Connor and Mary Teresa Purtell, both of Hornell; several cousins including Lucy Gallese Wiley of Hornell; and several nieces and nephews.
The family of Grace Moretti Eagan will receive friends on Wednesday from 4:00 PM – 7:00 PM at the Dagon Funeral Home, 38 Church St., Hornell, NY. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Thursday at 2:00 PM at St. Ann’s Church with burial in St. Mary’s Cemetery.
Grace’s family would like to extend a special thank-you to her loving home caregivers, Ella Grimm, Diane Lisi and Bonnie MiKitra, along with the staff of CareFirst Hospice. We are also most grateful for the dedication and comfort care given to Grace at the Vincent House in Wayland.
Grace’s family request that memorial contributions in her name be made to the Vincent House, 321 Second Ave., PO Box 566, Wayland, NY 14572. Memorial forms will be available at the Dagon Funeral Home.
To leave an online condolence or print a memorial form, visit www.dagonfuneralhome.com.
